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Author

Miller, Colby.

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Thesis (M.A.L.S.)--Georgetown University, 2011.; Includes bibliographical
references.; Text (Electronic thesis) in PDF format. The first amendment to the constitution
provides the opportunity for every American citizen to freely petition the government of the
United States to ensure their interests are always considered while officials in all branches
of government carry out their duties. Whether by individual lobbyists or by special interest
groups, the act of petitioning the United States government is as vital to democracy as the
separation of powers themselves.; While the act of lobbying effectively checks the balance of
power in our nation's government institutions, ethics laws and regulations, created by these
governing bodies, provide mechanisms for the institutions to check themselves. This thesis
examines whether current lobby and campaign finance reform is sufficient enough to prevent the
reoccurrence of 21st century scandals involving Congress, lobbyists and industry. Scandals
involving the firms Preston Gates & Ellis, where Jack Abramoff lobbied, PMA Group, and
MZM Incorporated revealed an unprecedented level of corruption that engrossed White House
officials, senior Members of Congress, their staff, and industry leaders.; Each scandal shared
a common bond in that they were born out of the desire to secure congressional directed
spending for clients of each lobbying firm. These firms broke numerous campaign and ethics
laws as defined by House and Senate Ethics Committee rules and the Federal Election
Commission. By identifying inherent weakness in the law that resulted in a lack of oversight,
providing a sense of entitlement to those involved, this thesis will determine if current
lobby and campaign finance reform and regulation are adequate to prevent these types of
scandals. At the heart of lobbyist corruption is the selfish desire of a few individuals at
the cost of their clients and the trust of the American people. Current enacted legislation
went a long way to create transparency in lobbyist-to-Member relationships and is beyond
adequate to prevent the types of reoccurring scandals committed by Jack Abramoff, the PMA
Group and MZM Inc. and regardless of the mandates of the Honest Leadership and Open Government
Act of 2007, there will always be someone who tries to circumvent its rules. Further
legislation and regulation in this area would constitute a gross miscarriage of justice and an
erosion of the First Amendment right to the freedom of assembly and right to petition the
government of the United States of America.